


And All These Broken Parts

by FeelzMaster



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Hanzo Shimada is Bad at Feelings, M/M, gives backstory to Hanzo and Genji, literally almost every overwatch hero
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-04
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-09 19:02:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,640
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27881198
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FeelzMaster/pseuds/FeelzMaster
Summary: Hanzo Shimada agreed to Genji's invitation to join Overwatch, but finds himself in way over his head as he battles his past and his future. Meanwhile, Genji is trying his best to keep things together, but without the return of his brotherly figure Jesse McCree, the task proves more difficult than he was prepared for. Together, with a brand new team, the brothers find themselves bonding once again.Jesse McCree did not wish to return to the place he once considered home. He had lost everyone, but with the constant badgering from an old friend the cowboy eventually changed his mind. For better or worse, he was back. What's there to lose if you've lost everything?
Relationships: Jesse McCree/Hanzo Shimada
Comments: 12
Kudos: 44





	1. Oh Brother, Why Do You Hurt?

**Author's Note:**

> Hi y'all! I am very very new to this platform so please be nice. I have no clue what I'm doing XD  
> Anywho, this story is actually a gift to my friend. I ruined her life and this is just to make it worse :)  
> This story mostly follows Hanzo and Genji's relationship and like their past and stuff, but yeah. McCree comes along eventually and that part will follow his experience and relationship with Overwatch. 
> 
> A few things to clarify: Hanzo has social anxiety and often finds himself becoming really overstimulated, which does not help that he is already sound sensitive. Genji sees McCree as a big brother through their time together in Blackwatch (more to be revealed later). And the compound is not the Gibraltar base just because I have this personal idea about what an Overwatch base should look like and I can't form Gibraltar with it. Gibraltar exists, but like it's not a secure base like this one is. 
> 
> Anyways, enjoy! Until later...

A sigh heavier than the wind left Hanzo's lips as he stared at the feather in his hand. For so long he wandered, lost and afraid. He was afraid of himself, of what he was capable of doing, afraid of sleeping, but above all, he was afraid to admit his weakness. Hanzo was confused. He had no clue what he should do. Hanzo was afraid of making the wrong choice.

Something told him he should accept the offer. Something yearned to see the cyborg claiming to be his brother. Hanzo set the feather down. In all honesty, he yearned for his _brother_. All these years, Hanzo has been telling himself excuses for what he did that night. He was still mourning their father, he was angry with his brother, he was... he was... He was responsible. He made the choice, not the clan members. Hanzo bit back tears as he pushed down his thoughts. He couldn't dwell on it any longer, the pain was all too much. All too real.

Hanzo didn't trust if the glowing cyborg was truly his little brother, but nonetheless he felt pity for the man. The least Hanzo could do was accept his offer of joining Overwatch. He was conflicted, and his usual place of peace offered nothing more than feelings of unwelcome nostalgia. Instead of viewing the cherry blossoms of the orchid as serene, he saw them as painful reminders of a time when things were simple. And happy. 

"You should not leave feathers in such precarious places. They have a tendency to drift away." An unfamiliar robotic voice greeted him. The cyborg. Hanzo glanced over his shoulder as the man approached him. A not totally uncomfortable silence fell upon them as the two stared out across the lake before them. Hanzo fought the urge to stare at the person next to him. 

"Have you given it more thought?" Genji asked and Hanzo looked over at him. A solemn nod was all he could do. The sun glinted off the worn mask hiding the man's face. 

"Good. I'm glad you are considering joining us." Hanzo frowned.

"I am joining." Genji hesitated as he studied the broken man beside him. 

"Really?" He struggled to contain the excitement in his voice. Hanzo frowned deeper at Genji's joy.

"It will give me an opportunity to stop wandering around aimlessly. It will give me a chance to rest." A soft sigh left Genji as he placed a hand on Hanzo's shoulder. Hanzo looked away, almost in shame of his second reason. Awkwardly, and out of respect, Genji dropped his hand. Silence fell on them again, yet this time it was strained. A heaviness lingered between them.

"Hanzo, my goal for this is not that it makes you happy, or that you might forgive yourself. I know you better than that. I just want you to be comfortable." Hanzo felt his shoulders drop as he fought back tears. No one was as concerned with Hanzo's comfort as Genji was in their youth, and to hear someone say this to him again nearly destroyed the walls he had built. Genji was always making sure Hanzo was comfortable when happiness was not possible. A spark of hope filled Hanzo as he pondered the statement.

"Thank you, Genji." 

"Of course, ani. I worry about you. You're broken with no one to put you back together. Let me be the one to help." Hanzo looked over at the cyborg with curiosity. He could almost feel the blush as Genji turned away.

"My apologies. That is something Master has said to me on many occasions."

"Master?" Hanzo questioned and Genji nodded. Hanzo could tell Genji had started to smile. The cyborg's energy had changed into something lighter, and its contagion had almost affected Hanzo. 

"He is an omnic monk from Nepal. He is the one who has helped me find peace with my body. Because of him, I am whole." Hanzo looked away, mostly out of jealousy. He longed to feel whole, but he thought it impossible. Once again, Genji's hand was on Hanzo's shoulder, but this time it comforted him.

"Do not worry, anjia. I am sure he can do the same for you." Hanzo did not respond, nor did he react. He enjoyed this quiet moment with the cyborg. No, with his brother. 

"You are having a hard time accepting it, aren't you?" Tears flooded Hanzo's vision.

"You have changed so much, I don't recognize you." A soft robotic chuckle responded first.

"That might be true, yes. But just think, Hanzo, you have changed as well. I hardly recognize you." Hanzo paused before he looked over at his brother.

"What does this mean then?" Genji's grip tightened on Hanzo's shoulder as the man's voice cracked.

"It means we have a chance to start over." A warmth radiated from the cyborg, and Hanzo felt himself losing all self control. His previous control over his emotions dissipated and, before he knew it, tears had flooded his cheeks and Genji's arms were wrapping themselves around his shoulders.

"It's okay, Hanzo. We'll fix this. Together." A weight dropped from Hanzo's heavy heart as he stood there, emotionally and physically exposed. But for once, he was okay with that. 

He was in his brother's arms, after all. 


	2. Noise, Noise Go Away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hanzo Shimada agreed to Genji's invitation to join Overwatch, but finds himself in way over his head as he battles his past and his future. Meanwhile, Genji is trying his best to keep things together, but without the return of his brotherly figure Jesse McCree, the task proves more difficult than he was prepared for. Together, with a brand new team, the brothers find themselves bonding once again.
> 
> Jesse McCree did not wish to return to the place he once considered home. He had lost everyone, but with the constant badgering from an old friend the cowboy eventually changed his mind. For better or worse, he was back. What's there to lose if you've lost everything?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so glad to see how many of you have already taken to this story with great love. This chapter is kinda boring, not gonna lie. Exposition is necessary. Stay tuned, things get better. Have fun! Toodles!

**There were so many sounds. There was yelling. Someone was sobbing . No, wait. He was sobbing. There was someone choking, a horrible gurgling sound. He couldn't hear much else of the pounding of his own heart, over the heavy, shaky breaths.**

Hanzo sat up in a panic as a loud beep startled him from his nightmare. Had it not been for Genji's relaxed position across from him, Hanzo probably would have freaked out a bit more. Hanzo took a deep, steadying breath as he leaned back into his seat. It had been a couple of hours since the two had boarded the airship, piloted by an eccentric British woman. She could not keep her excitement in check as she had run over to greet Genji. Hanzo expected her to be hostile towards him, but she greeted him with the same tight hug.

"We're getting ready tah land, boys!" She called out from the cockpit, distracting Hanzo from his current thoughts.

"Thank you, Lena." Genji responded as he stretched out his legs. Before Hanzo had drifted off, the two had a conversation about moving forward. Genji told Hanzo that he had moved on, and that he should do the same. The more Genji spoke, the more Hanzo was convinced it was his brother.

"Did you nap well, brother?" Genji asked and Hanzo grunted in reply.

"No." Genji nodded solemnly as he understood the unspoken reason.

"Captain Amari had made special sleeping pills that prevent nightmares. I can see if there are still any left. That is, if they have not expired." Hanzo allowed a soft smile towards his brother. 

"Thank you, Genji." A warmth radiated from the cyborg as he smiled in response. 

"Gentlemen, welcome home!" Tracer called out as the ship lowered to the ground and powered down. Genji stood up and beckoned for Hanzo to do the same. Hanzo obliged and grabbed his feeble amount of belongings; a duffel and a guitar case holding his weapons. 

"Welcome home, Hanzo. I'm not sure who all is here, so just be warned, it might get a little chaotic." A soft chuckle accompanied the normal robotic hum of his voice. Hanzo nodded softly as they walked towards the exit ramp. Outside, they were greeted by two... people. A large gorilla wearing protective gear and glasses. Strange, Hanzo had never seen a gorilla wearing glasses.

"Genji!" The gorilla reached out for the nimble cyborg and Genji hopped right over. They spoke and reunited briefly while Hanzo observed their other greeter; a floating omnic. A soft and humble bow from Genji confirmed Hanzo's suspicions that this was the master he had spoken of earlier. 

"Welcome back, Genji. How was your trip?" The omnic's voice was almost melodious as he spoke. 

"Quite well, Master. Zen, this is Hanzo. Hanzo, this is my master, Zenyatta." Hanzo nodded politely at the monk.

"Ah, it is good to see you have accepted. Another broken soul finds home in Overwatch." Zenyatta spoke as he gently grabbed one of Hanzo's hands in his own. Surprisingly, the omnic's hands were warm and comforting. 

"We shall see." Hanzo responded rather pessimistically. Zenyatta let out what Hanzo could only assume was a chuckle.

"Of course. The future is a strange place we can only dream of understanding." Hanzo nodded, unsure of how to react to such wisdom. A soft clearing of a throat had thankfully ended what Hanzo believed to be an awkward exchange. 

"Hello, my name is Winston. I'm the new strike commander for Overwatch. Welcome to the team, Agent Shimada." The gorilla spoke kindly to Hanzo, and he even offered his hand for a handshake. Hanzo declined with a polite bow; physical contact was something Hanzo wanted to avoid at all costs.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Winston." Hanzo quietly followed as Winston led them inside. He and Tracer were deep in conversation, as were Genji and Zenyatta. The constant chatter was starting to get to him, and he could feel his heart rate quicken. 

"You will be glad to hear we have many new members, Genji. And all surviving members have returned. Well, almost all." Genji cocked his head in confusion at Winston's statement. The little tilt of Genji's head was something Hanzo recognized as a trait he never grew out of no matter how hard their father tried. 

"What do you mean almost all?" Tracer let out a sigh and put a hand on his shoulder.

"McCree has yet to come back, love. We haven't heard from him directly, only through Echo." Genji nodded, and Hanzo could tell the information deeply upset him.

"Well, I don't blame him." Genji muttered under his breath. Something about this McCree character meant a lot to the cyborg, and this troubled Hanzo. Clearly, a chance to regrow the bond with his brother was not the only thing bringing Genji back to Overwatch.

"But little Fareeha is all grown up. I can't wait till ya see her and Brigitte!" Tracer's vibrant energy seemed to cheer Genji right up. The opposite was Hanzo's reaction.

"Where are they? I must see them!" The two sprinted away from the others as they rushed down the hallway. Hanzo sighed as he glanced around him. The complex was in poor condition, but someone had put in effort to clean it up. Hanzo almost pitied their efforts, for he was sure this place would be thrown into disrepair again after the Recall fails.

"Once we introduce you to the rest of the members here, we'll show you to your room. You can take an informal tour of the complex if you'd like, but I understand if you would prefer to be left alone." Winston did not seem to know how to talk to Hanzo, and quite frankly, the archer didn't blame him. Honestly, Hanzo didn't know how to talk to himself.

"I will probably get Genji to show me around before I retire for the night." Hanzo replied, and Winston nodded a response. He seemed satisfied with that answer and didn't press anything else. For that, Hanzo was glad. He truly just wanted to curl up under a large blanket and disappear. He was tired, and he hated the constant drone of noise in his head. Hanzo was starting to question his decision of joining Overwatch, but it might just be his exhaustion. 

"You are tired, Hanzo. And not just physically. Hopefully, you can find some rest here." Zenyatta spoke, startling Hanzo from his thoughts. He couldn't decide if the omnic's words were comforting or belittling. Hanzo knew he was tired; he didn't need a monk telling him that.

"Thank you. Your concern is appreciated." The response came out short, and Hanzo almost felt guilty. Almost.

"I sense the same rage within you that once consumed your brother." Apparently, Hanzo was not the only one capable of coming across coldly. This angered Hanzo greatly, and the archer reached his breaking point.

"We are nothing alike." He growled. Winston turned to face Hanzo, his brows furrowed together quizzically. 

"Perhaps you should get some rest. I understand if you are tired after your flight." Hanzo took a deep breath, struggling to contain his exhaustion and frustration.

"That would be better. Thank you." Understanding nods were his responses.

"Of course. I'll let Genji know after we show you to your room." The rest of the walk went in silence as Hanzo followed Winston down a corridor of dorm-like rooms. The hallway was to the left of the corridor leading to the landing pad. Several of the doors had already been personalized.

"All of our newer members are in these first few rooms. This part of the complex is normally quiet, but the rooms further along provide more privacy. Dr. Ziegler and I do not have rooms down here. The doctor sleeps in a room connected to the medbay, and I sleep in a small part of my lab. Here is your room. It's the last on this first half of the corridor, right before the older members' rooms." Indeed, the hallway only lasted for a few rooms before branching off to the left and right. Hanzo's was right on the corner to the left. 

"Genji's room is right around the corner. Well, I leave it to you. If you need anything, feel free to call on Athena. All of your new gear is already inside of your room. Rest well." With a nod, Winston turned and left Hanzo to stand outside his door. Curiously, Hanzo inspected the personalized doors. Beside him, someone had spray painted an eagle-like blue and gold helmet, along with the name "Pharah." The last door on the that side that had something on it held the simple name Zenyatta. Behind Hanzo, the door was decorated with a picture of an abnormally large cat, the Swedish flag, and a sign made of metal that bore the name "Brigitte." The next door was simple, with something in Russian and the name "Zarya." Beside her room was a door covered in bright green frogs, records, and the name Lucio. Beside Lucio was an obnoxiously pink and purple door with an angry white bunny symbol in the center. The name "D.VA" practically covered the whole thing. With a sigh, Hanzo opened his blank door. 

To his right was a simple bathroom with what seemed to be a rather claustrophobic shower. To his left was a simple closet, a weapons case, and a bookshelf. On his bed against the wall opposite the door were a few items; a large style comm, a small identical one, and an earpiece. Exhausted, Hanzo moved the items from his bed to the bookshelf and dropped heavily onto the soft mattress. He propped the guitar case against the shelf and allowed his duffel to fall onto the floor. 

Hanzo slipped off the braces around his lower legs, only to find his ankles had swollen. With a sigh, Hanzo swung his legs onto the bed. He's been dealing with his poor ankles since he was little. He had fallen during a family vacation when he was seven, and had landed hard on his feet. His ankles had broken and never properly healed, making them weak and vulnerable to injury. He wore the braces to strengthen his legs and to protect his ankles from further injury. They did not, however, prevent his ankles from swelling. Hanzo fell onto his back and closed his eyes. He didn't even bother with the blankets; he just needed rest. And for once, he felt safe enough to do so. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, my idea for the braces on Hanzo's legs comes from the confirmation that Hanzo does not have prosthetics and just has "weak ankles" My personal idea just kinda makes that a bit more believable. Toodles!


	3. Story Sessions and First Missions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hanzo is introduced to the rest of Overwatch and receives his first mission.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It took me forever to write this chapter for some reason but yeah, here we go. Promise, next chapter will be loads better!

Hanzo woke to a soft knocking at his door. With a strained grunt, he managed to push himself into a sitting position.

"Yes?" He called out, fighting back a yawn. The door swished open and Genji timidly entered.

"Did I wake you?" Hanzo sighed before he shook his head. He didn't want Genji to feel guilty for anything. He was the innocent one after all.

"Dinner is almost ready. You do need to eat." Genji calmly walked over and sat next to Hanzo on the bed. Hanzo watched him out of the corner of his eye, a hundred questions burning his mind.

"Why do you wear a mask?" The question came out rather softly, and Genji fought the urge to stare at Hanzo. It was rare Hanzo ever spoke softly, but it was a sign of trust. Genji dropped his shoulders as he thought of an appropriate response. 

"Just because I have accepted my new body does not mean I am immune to insecurities. My face is the only visible human part of me left. I do not want to scare people with it." Genji whispered the last sentence so quietly he thought for a moment Hanzo had not heard. But, much like in their youth, Hanzo heard everything.

"I am sorry you feel that you must hide your face." Hanzo had long since turned his attention to a loose string on his pants. Genji allowed a soft smile behind the mask: this was a step. Hanzo was learning to say sorry. 

"I typically eat alone as well. Part of jaw was so damaged it had to be replaced. Unfortunately, eating is a more difficult task now, seeing as my jaw lacks a bit of flexibility." Hanzo remained quiet, but Genji understood the meaning behind it. 

"Come, we do not want to be late to dinner." Hanzo nodded, and he forced himself off the bed. Together, Genji and Hanzo left the room and down the hallway. They crossed the large corridor that Hanzo knew led to the landing pad, but he was still unsure about the other direction.

"Um, later tonight I can properly show you around, but medbay is down that way." Genji gestured, as if he could read Hanzo's mind. They passed two doors opposite each other, both labeled "RECORDS" before they reached another, smaller perpendicular hallway. 

"If you head right, that path will take you to the practice range." Hanzo followed Genji to their left and into a spacious room. Immediately inside to the left was a sectional couch, clearly meant for socialization. In front of them were three round tables, and a little to the right was a couch facing a large screen; an entertainment center. The kitchen itself, including a large dining table, was a room within a room. 

"These tables are typically for meetings, and this area is the commons area. You are more than welcome to find downtime in your room. Come, I'll introduce you to the rest of the team." The chatter coming from the kitchen made Hanzo nervous, but he swallowed it down like all of his other emotions. 

Inside the kitchen, a wild assortment of people chattered away as they helped themselves to a buffet style array of diverse meals. He politely nodded back as Lena Oxton, aka Tracer, waved happily at him. Hanzo was good at many things; archery, repressing his emotions, stealth, and names. He was very good at remembering people's names and the faces along with them. The trait was supposedly going to be used when he took over the empire. Now, he will be using it to remember his new teammates. 

"Everyone, this is my brother Hanzo. Hanzo, this is Overwatch." Hanzo was already overwhelmed as he looked around the room.

"Please, help yourself, Hanzo! This is in celebration of the biggest team in over eight years!" A rather large German man exclaimed loudly, a jovial smile never once leaving his scarred face. Dinner proceeded rather chaotically, yet Hanzo hardly participated. He learned the names of all his team members by watching and listening as he silently ate. Genji was in an intense, nostalgic discussion with Lena Oxton, Fareeha Amari, and Brigitte Lindholm. Unfortunately, as Hanzo learned, Fareeha's mother Ana had died under mysterious circumstances. This seemed to be the theme with Overwatch's past leaders; Jack Morrison and Gabriel Reyes having had the same fate. Lucio and Hana were young, but were excited and eager to learn. They were deep in discussion with Reinhardt and Torbjorn, with Winston and Echo laughing along and adding their own stories. Echo was a unique omnic, and Hanzo admired the delicate attention to detail of her build. Whoever crafted her was talented and dedicated, truly a genius. 

"You are much quieter than your brother, Hanzo. You remind me of him from his Blackwatch days." Dr. Angela Ziegler spoke softly to the quiet archer.

"Hmm. So Reinhardt has told me many times." Hanzo anxiously picked at his food as he was distracted by Mei and Zenyatta's conversation. Surprisingly, the omnic and Genji still joined the table, even if for conversation and not to feast.

"I am grateful to see he is doing much better." The doctor whispered and Hanzo turned his attention back to her.

"What was he like?"

"Angry. Not at you, really. Just, at the world. That boy is stubborn. He was always trying to be one step ahead of where he was in recovery. When he wasn't spending time in the medbay, he and McCree were taking out some energy in the practice range. I don't think those two ever slept except on the couch, watching movies." The doctor chuckled at fond memories. Hanzo frowned at the name McCree, this being the hundredth time he'd heard that name during the course of dinner. 

"Who is this McCree I keep hearing about?" Of course, Hanzo's question came out during a lull in conversation.

"Only Genji's bestest friend in the whole world!" Fareeha mockingly batted her eyes at the cyborg.

"In my defense, McCree was the only one who treated me normally. Everyone else was either afraid of me, treated me like a ticking time bomb, or were constantly telling me not to do stuff so I wouldn't get hurt." At the last part, Genji snapped his attention towards the doctor. Angela blushed and playfully threw a napkin at him.

"If I hadn't, you would have spent more time in the medbay than with McCree." 

"True. McCree was often underestimated. It was kind of inhuman. He was deadly stealthy if he wanted to be, and a damn good shot." Genji's energy had changed, and Hanzo could see how much his brother missed this McCree character.

"What was he like?" Hana asked and Genji fought back a laugh.

"He's kind of like if a bad western were to take a shit. But like, in a good way." Fareeha responded, which prompted Genji to laugh.

"Ah, our friend McCree certainly had good looks on his side!" The team erupted into laughter after the German's comment. After a few minutes of silence, Winston finally spoke. 

"Hanzo, you've been assigned to tomorrow's mission. Unfortunately, it cannot wait. Talon is making a move and we need to stop it." Gloom settled on the group as they were brought back to the unpleasant reality of the situation.

"Of course. It is why I joined. I should be well-rested by morning." Hanzo forced a small nod. 

Tomorrow was a new day.


	4. Legend Becomes Fact

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Introducing everyone's favorite cowboy!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'all, I forgot to add Zarya to the dinner last chapter.. Oops. This is a change in POV and was kinda rushed. I just wanted to get a chapter out before Christmas, so Happy Holidays everyone!

A bead of sweat trickled down through a layer of dirt on the brow of the Southerner as he struggled to force the metal plating back onto the old air conditioning unit. Inside was a small explosive device, yet the man knew just how dangerous it was. He had to move fast, get to cover quickly; it wouldn't be long before half of Talon's army showed up. Jesse McCree held onto his hat as he ran for an abandoned office building not far from his secret weapon.

He knew he wouldn't defeat the army by himself, but McCree would be damned if he didn't die trying. 

**~~~**

McCree sat anxiously watching the Talon soldiers leave their dropships. He underestimated how many there would be. 

"Aw, hell." The cowboy stomped the cigar out under his boot as he wiped his brow again. This heat was tolerable, it was the anxiety that had him sweating bullets. He definitely was not prepared for a battle this size, but he was even less prepared for the airship landing behind his building. A smirk crossed his dirt covered face as he stared at the faded Overwatch symbol on the side. From the ship came a new assortment of people he had never seen before. Except one. One was familiar for he reason he hadn't yet figured out. As one, they all took their positions; a simple omnic dressed only in pants made his way to the top of the building across from McCree's window. A giant, bright pink Meka rushed down the street head first into enemy lines, followed by a fast moving kid on what appeared to be rollerblades. High-tech rollerblades, granted. Then, the familiar one with a spark of green and swift attack. Taking up the rear was a large, powerful woman with a shock of pink hair and a massive weapon in her grasp. McCree was impressed; this new team had their shit together.

An arrow whizzed past McCree's corner of the building, causing him to freeze. Using a small hole in the wall behind him, the cowboy scanned the rooftops. There, behind him nestled in a high perch, was an archer with a sour frown on his face. Deciding he was best left alone, McCree turned back to the battle. 

The girl in the Meka seemed to be having fun as she flew around, constantly firing her suit's dual-rotating shotguns. The faint pumping of music emanated from the skater as he used the walls to gain the high ground. The omnic was a good shot, and did his best to aid his teammates. A golden orb slung from his hands attached itself to random teammates, clearly meant to heal. A discolored purple orb marked his targets.

A smile drifted onto McCree's lips as he could hear Genji calling out directions or words of encouragement. It took the cowboy longer than he would admit to recognize his old friend.

McCree quirked a brow as another arrow buried itself into the head of another Talon soldier. The archer was a scavenger, picking off the ones separated from the mass of soldiers crowding the street. McCree wasn't sure how he felt about the archer in this sense, but he knew one thing for sure: the archer was damn good. The arrows flew with such power and speed, it would take a fool to challenge him to an arm-wrestling competition. 

After what felt like an hour, but was really only twenty minutes, the pink-haired powerhouse below shouted something in Russian before launching a small projectile into the middle of the army. The soldiers close enough were drawn in together, unable to escape. They were trapped, begging to be destroyed. 

A shout from the archer behind McCree startled him, but not as much as the two massive blue dragons. They rushed past and devoured the helpless trapped soldiers. McCree felt a wave of energy hit him like a brick, and his heart threatened to explode in his chest. He exhaled sharply and sank against the wall. 

All right, the archer was pretty damn good. McCree took a deep breath. Yeah, he needed a drink. 

"Oh, let's break it down!" Waves rolled away from the little guy as he slammed into the ground. McCree chuckled; he liked the funky little skater. A flash of green and Genji was tearing through the enemies like nothing. The attempt to keep the encroaching army at bay failed as Talon pushed through the choke point; gunshots lighting up the ground and air.

"Now, D.VA!" Genji shouted as he jumped not too far from McCree's hiding spot.

"Nerf this!" She shouted as she ejected from her Meka. The suit itself went flying into the enemy as it collapsed in on itself. McCree ducked as a massive explosion shook the town. 

"Damn, these guys are good." McCree whispered to himself as he watched D.VA hop into a new suit. The team was still taking heavy fire as they regrouped below him. The cowboy adjusted his position as he aimed at the air conditioning unit. They were vulnerable, exposed to the unending rain of bullets. 

That is, until the omnic leapt down from his position, and a massive golden halo erupted from him. Six golden arms joined. They were invincible within his halo. 

"Tch, it's high noon, I guess." McCree muttered to himself, almost feeling lame in comparison to the others. A single shot rang out before the AC unit blew up, and the remaining soldiers with it. Blown back from the shockwaves, the skater landed hard in McCree's hidden room.

"Howdy." McCree tipped his hat at the shocked kid at his feet.

"Um, hi?" 

"Lucio, are you okay?" Genji suddenly appeared in the window, worry lacing his voice. 

"Yeah, I'm okay. What just happened?" Lucio muttered as he sat up with Genji's help. McCree let out a soft snort.

"That, my friend, is good ol' fashioned high explosives." Despite being unable to see Genji's face, McCree could feel the cyborg's joy.

"Holy shit! What are you doing here?" Genji launched himself at the cowboy in a hug. 

"Well, like I told Echo, I had business to attend to." 

"I have so much to tell you! Lucio, go ahead to the ship. I'll catch up." Lucio nodded, grinned, and waved before darting back out of the window. 

"Come on, I'll fill you in on the way to the ship."

**~~~**

"Yer brother, eh? Well, Genji, I'm proud o' ya. Yup, pretty damn proud." Genji patted McCree's shoulder as they approached the team waiting for them.

"Everyone, this is Jesse McCree." McCree politely tipped his hat. The archer's frown deepened, yet Lucio and D.VA both broke out in grins.

"Genji's told us so much about you! I'm so excited to finally meet you!" Lucio couldn't contain himself as clapped in joy. McCree chuckled and smiled along.

"Pleasure to meet y'all too. I mean, y'all did pretty damn good back there."

"Thanks." D.VA replied as she sassily flipped her hair.

"McCree, this is my master, Zenyatta." Genji motioned to the floating omnic. Of course, hearing this now made sense as to how and why the omnic was glowing just a couple minutes ago.

"Peace be upon you." Another polite hat tip. McCree was starting to get anxious to sit down somewhere safe.

"And this is my brother, Hanzo." McCree fought himself as he forced a smile. 

"Pleasure to meet you." Hanzo scowled as he began to enter the ship.

"Surely, it is not so." McCree sighed as he looked over at Genji's defeated posture. Getting along with him was going to be hard, that much was obvious. Besides, one good thing came out of this: a challenge.

Jesse McCree loved a good challenge. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if that chapter was bad. I promise I'll go back and edit this story once I'm done. For now, everyone stay safe and have a beautiful holiday!


	5. Getting Along With An Enemy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pretty much Jesse McCree studying Hanzo and Hanzo studying Jesse McCree. With Genji trying not to go insane.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This mostly reflects how I see McCree and Hanzo as being super similar but polar opposites. It'll make more sense as you read, but check the end notes for a summary! :)

Hanzo sighed as he leaned back into his seat, his arms throbbing from the fight. It had been a while since he had fought with such vigor, and being on a battlefield was a different experience for him. At least the dragons rested quietly, having had their fill of the fight. Hanzo narrowed his eyes as the cowboy sank into a seat across from him, but not directly. Genji sat next to him, buzzing with excitement. Somehow, he still had an untapped reserve of energy. Hanzo felt like death.

"What have you been doing all these years?" Genji asked and McCree shrugged his shoulders. The light glinted off his metal hand as he took his hat off. Hanzo watched curiously as Genji froze. McCree's eyes widened as Genji gently took his hand. 

"Are you seriously this stupid?" Genji said as he forced McCree's hand into his face. Instinctively, he leaned back and used his other hand to pry off Genji's fingers.

"No, I'm not. I got outnumbered somewhere in Mexico a while back. It was either lose the arm or lose my life." The man replied, trying to sound casual about the loss of his limb. Genji huffed, not satisfied with the answer, but he didn't press it. Hanzo frowned. If Genji was curious about something, he wouldn't leave it alone until he learned all the answers. His lack of pressure on the cowboy's story led Hanzo to believe that pushing him would be Genji's last mistake.

"'Sides, I'm the on the run, Genji. Got a bounty on my head." McCree muttered around the end of a cigar as he attempted to light it. Genji snatched it and tossed it away.

"You know the rule about smoking on the ship, stupid." A dangerous gleam crossed McCree's honey golden eyes as he looked over at the cyborg, whom Hanzo knew to be smirking underneath the mask. Hanzo watched anxiously as the two sat there holding a staring contest that seemed to have no end. It did end, however, when McCree shook his head, exhaustion rolling off the brown locks. Hanzo recognized this look: it was the look of a broken man, tired and ready to drown himself in a bottle. 

"Yeah, all right." McCree leaned his head all the way back, resting it on the wall of the ship as he stretched out his legs. Hanzo had to admit; Reinhardt was right about McCree's good looks. The cowboy still held an air of handsomeness despite being a sleep deprived drunk. In that moment, Hanzo decided he did not like this man. 

It was too much like looking in a funhouse mirror.

Hanzo scowled as he realized McCree was staring right back at him, a dangerously seductive smirk on his lips.

"Ya did mighty fine out there, Hanzo. Might have to face ya in a little battle of the bullseye." McCree chuckled at himself, a deep rumbling sound that seemed to catch in his chest rather than his throat. Hanzo scoffed.

"I will not flatter a fool like you." Hanzo's eyes flicked over at Genji as he felt the accusing stare. _Don't start anything stupid,_ the cyborg practically pleaded with him. McCree's smirk wavered, but only for a second. It resumed with greater intensity than before. Hanzo resisted the urge to squirm in his seat; he didn't like the power behind McCree's gaze. Hanzo couldn't explain why, but he knew this man was dangerous and more than he appeared to be. 

"Aw, come now. Just a friendly little competition, 's all." Hanzo scowled at him, yet did not respond. He glanced at Genji again, yet the cyborg seemed to have relaxed slightly. Hanzo sighed and slouched in his seat, fatigue washing over him. His skin was crawling and his eyes ached as the chaos of the day consumed him. 

"So, how many new members y'all got?" McCree asked as he stifled back a yawn. Hanzo closed his eyes in an attempt to nurse the pain behind them. 

"These five, plus Fareeha and Brigitte." Genji responded as he watched Hanzo attempt to curl up in his seat. The attempt failed, and the archer settled on laying his legs across the seat next to him. 

"Y'all got your work cut out fer ya. The world's a damn mess." McCree muttered as he closed his eyes. Genji nodded, despite knowing he couldn't see it.

"We'll fix it." 

**~~~**

McCree awoke to a soft shaking of his shoulder. He squinted past the sleep in his eyes at the cyborg standing over him.

"

We're home." And with that, the ninja left McCree's company to rouse the archer across from him. Had it not been for the permanent scowl on Hanzo's face, McCree would have thought the sight of the sleeping archer to be peaceful. An angry grunt marked the archer awake. 

McCree couldn't help it: there was just something about this man he couldn't figure out. It wasn't a bad thing for him, but that was a different story for the archer. 

"Howdy." McCree flashed a grin and Hanzo replied with a dark scowl. Before any more words could be exchanged, the archer fled from the ship. 

"The hell is his problem?" McCree muttered, not entirely sure Genji heard him.

"My brother has suffered much in the last few years. It will take time for him to trust anyone." McCree snorted as he stood to his full height and stretched.

"Naw, he probably just hates me." Genji nodded, though he seemed distracted.

"Ya alright, bud?" 

"Hm?" The cyborg replied, clearly lost in his own world. McCree frowned at him, chewing on his bottom lip in careful thought.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Genji's shoulders stiffened. Suddenly, the same distrust McCree was familiar with crossed the cyborg.

"How dare you." He snapped before stomping away. McCree let out a low whistle. He knew Genji had grown and changed, but growing for the better wasn't granted for everyone. Hanzo Shimada did not fit the bill to change for the better. 

Instead, McCree left the ship and walked into the compound. It was the emergency compound, only used for when Gibraltar was compromised. The fact saddened McCree only briefly, as he had been expecting to return home. He decided this would be better, as it wasn't actually home and wouldn't bring back any painful memories. 

A smile crossed his face as he saw Dr. Ziegler talking to Genji further down the hall. She seemed tired, but the reward of her line of work was greater than sleep deprivation. She thrived on helping people, and she did it beautifully. She was frowning at the cyborg, as she typically did, and was attempting to look at something on his shoulder. He kept shrugging her off, and McCree couldn't help but feel guilty about the cyborg's sudden sour mood. He hadn't meant to upset him; he just wanted to make sure Genji knew what he was getting himself into. 

Hanzo wasn't the only one observing on the ship, after all. 

McCree frowned at the doctor and her patient as the two argued in hushed voices. He quietly approached them, not wanting to rudely interrupt. A sigh left the cowboy as Genji noticed his presence and stomped away. Angela turned to him, her scowl reflecting what remained hidden under Genji's mask. 

"What did you say to him?" She demanded and the cowboy couldn't help but smile.

"What, not a hello?" She pouted, crossing her arms over her chest. 

"You just got back and you're already causing trouble." McCree smiled down at her as her expression softened. It was evident by her relief that she had been worried for his health and wellbeing, but he'd be damned if she said anything to his face. 

"Missed ya too, Doc." Angela dropped her arms as McCree pulled her into a soft hug. He could tell the battle angel was overworked and that she desperately needed a hug, and with that information, McCree held on a little longer than he should have. The doctor herself didn't protest, so he dismissed it.

"It's good to see you in one piece. Well, mostly." Angela's brilliant blue eyes shone with a mix of pity and exhaustion as she looked down at the inhuman limb attached to McCree. He chuckled and absently rubbed his prosthetic wrist. 

"How do you feel about Hanzo Shimada?" Angela raised an eyebrow at the sudden change of conversation. The two stood in silence as she pondered an appropriate response.

"He needs help." Three simple words and all of her thoughts on the older Shimada were revealed. McCree nodded slowly, reflecting on what she truly meant.

"I don't trust him. He ain't the type to get along with people. Hell, I don't think he gets along with himself." McCree muttered, and the two once again fell into silence.

"Genji is trying to be there for him, but it is very difficult. Hanzo only arrived last night. There's still a lot of progress he needs to make, but Genji has all but sacrificed himself to aiding Hanzo. We just need to be there for Genji. You of all people should know he tends to neglect himself." With her final statement, Angela left McCree standing in the silent hallway, alone. He watched her as she walked away, yet soon his gaze fell to the floor. 

He knew exactly what she was talking about. He could see it in both of the Shimada's on the ship. Hanzo reflected such an inner brokenness it almost hurt McCree to look at him. A sad fact flashed brightly as McCree rubbed his eyes; Genji could also see Hanzo's broken bits, more so than anyone else. There was something about the older Shimada that eluded McCree. Something about him reminded the cowboy of himself, and he wasn't sure that was a good thing. 

"Shit." McCree muttered to himself as he realized what he had done. He had shown up after years of being out of contact only to question Genji's attempt at peace and happiness. He had betrayed the ninja's trust. He needed to find Genji.

McCree took off for the common area, hoping to find the cyborg there. He wanted to talk in private, but with the risk of losing his only friend, McCree was more than willing to talk up a storm in front of an audience. Sounds of life reached his ears as he approached the archway, and a smile tugged at his cracked lips. He peered inside to scan the room. The same kids from the mission were piled on top of each other, trying to sabotage the other's gameplay. Behind them cheered Reinhardt, who didn't quite seem to understand what was happening but seemed excited for the fight. Beside them, and rather sneakily, was Lena Oxton beating them. McCree could tell by her visible vibrations of excitement that she was winning, yet the two others remained oblivious.

"Shove off, Lucio!" Hana shouted as she attempted to elbow him in the stomach. He somehow managed to force a leg between his abdomen and Hana, and he began to push her off of him. 

"I win!" Lena shouted as she threw her controller into the air. In a split second of realization, she blipped forward to catch it before it crashed to the floor.

"What? How?" Hana shouted as she immediately stopped all attempts at sabotaging Lucio. 

"A master never shares her secrets!" Protests erupted from Hana and Lucio. 

"That's not fair!" Hana cried and Lena mockingly stuck out her tongue. McCree chuckled as he watched the chaos unfolding before him. Before he could register, Lena had recognized him.

"MCCREE!" She screeched as she flung herself onto the cowboy. He stumbled backwards in an attempt to not fall over. He hugged Lena tightly, happy to see the young pilot.

"I'm so happy to see you back!" Lena bounced on the balls of her feet after she released the cowboy from the death hug. McCree nodded, the smile now beginning to hurt his cheeks. It had been a very long time since he had smiled so genuinely. 

"It's good ta see ya too, kid. Howdy, Rein." Reinhardt laughed at the hat tip, and clapped McCree on the shoulder. McCree had forgotten Rein's strength and nearly fell over with the force.

"Good to see you, as well." Rein's voice boomed off the walls of the room, and the sound brought McCree right back home. God, he missed this. Deciding he needed something cold and sweet, the cowboy headed for the kitchen, only to immediately crash straight into Hanzo Shimada.

"Sorry bout that." McCree smirked and tipped his hat, only to realize doing so thoroughly pissed off the Shimada. Hanzo didn't respond, but did step out of the cowboy's way. McCree shook his head in disbelief. He didn't know it was possible to have a stick shoved that far up your ass, but then he met Hanzo Shimada. He began his search for ice cream, really hoping Genji hadn't eaten all of it by now.

"So, Shimada. Ya here to stay?" Hanzo turned a dark scowl on the cowboy as he reached for a bowl in the cabinet above the archer's head. Hanzo's instincts to elbow the man almost kicked in, and he managed not to harm his new teammate. Almost.

"My time here is none of your business, American." He spat before quickly leaving, holding a steaming cup of tea in his hands. McCree blinked a couple of times.

Okay, so maybe this challenge was a little too hard. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Both Hanzo and McCree are traumatized and have resorted to alcohol and killing as 'therapy' and don't sleep. In this way, they are the same person. They're also both narcissists, just in different ways. However, McCree is a cowboy with a heart of gold and dumb of ass, whereas Hanzo is stoic, cold, and a traditional man of honor.  
> See? The same yet polar opposites!


	6. Demons, Victims, Ghosts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hanzo lowkey has a breakdown in the middle of the night, finds McCree just vibing on the practice range, and then they have a weird interaction. Basically, both of them learn something very personal about the other and then that's pretty much it.

**"Do it, Hanzo! You know he deserves it!" Everything felt weird, almost as if Hanzo wasn't truly in control of his actions. He continued to stand there, and his face revealed no emotion. Genji was staring back at him, yet tears had flooded his face.**

**"You don't have to do this, Hanzo. We can fix this." Hanzo scoffed, the statement finally breaking his neutrality.**

**"What can you fix? You have done nothing to contribute to the clan. All you have done is neglect your duties. How do you expect to fix this?" It took Hanzo a second to realize why Genji suddenly gasped and collapsed against the wall. Crimson red was starting to soak through his clothes. A thin gash lined the bottom of his stomach, yet didn't appear deep enough to cause serious harm. Hanzo glanced down at his hand to see the tip of his sword stained in red. Odd, he didn't remember moving.**

**"Hanzo, this isn't like you. You're scaring me." Genji's sharp words cut through Hanzo's ears, and he almost recoiled at the sound. There was a buzzing sound that amplified everything. The dragons were getting restless.**

**"Enough." Hanzo growled, yet again moving without realizing. Genji choked on a sob as he sank further against the wall. A piercing squeal in his ears distracted Hanzo momentarily. The dragons were telling him something, but he couldn't understand them.**

**"Hanzo, please." Another unregistered movement, more blood, more crying. Something was wrong.**

Hanzo sank against the wall of his room, tears streaming down his face. He could do nothing but sit there and shake uncontrollably. After his encounter with McCree, and the general stress of being alive, Hanzo had quite enough of the day. He had spent the rest of the day in his room, attempting to collect himself. His attempts failed, as Genji had come by to check on him for dinner time. Hanzo had gotten angry with him, and yelled at him to stay away. Now, he wished he hadn't.

It had been far too long since he had unleashed his dragons. 

Letting them out during the battle was a mistake. Especially with Genji so close. 

_Genji. Shit._ Hanzo struggled to contain his breathing as he forced himself to a kneeling position. 

_What have I done?_ A harsh whisper Hanzo recognized as his own self-loathing echoed in his empty room. _I shouldn't have joined. Not with what I did to him. How can they live with me, knowing what I've done?_ Hanzo focused instead on his labored breathing as he tried to push away the troubling thoughts. He just needed to steady his breathing long enough to center himself. 

This whole calming down thing was getting progressively harder. 

Eventually, Hanzo managed to control his breathing long enough to change into something better suited for the cold night. He hoped it was late enough that he wouldn't run into anyone, but still he couldn't be positive. The hallways seemed especially echo-y as he lightly ran down them. The fear of running into someone and having to explain himself threatened his breathing, but Hanzo pushed past it and continued for his destination. He had not yet been to the practice range, and figured now was a good time to familiarize himself with it. Granted, to him it was a good time, to others it was 3 am. After quickly surveying the darkened arena portion of the practice range, he decided it was too open for comfort. Despite knowing he was theoretically safe, Hanzo still felt exposed in a dangerous way. He moved on to the area more stylized to be an obstacle course. A small crevice halfway up the side of a makeshift building beckoned him. 

_Shit._ Hanzo almost lost his grip as he realized the little alcove was already claimed. Moonlight glinted off the silver appendage attached to a very peculiar man. McCree tipped his hat politely in recognition of Hanzo's presence despite still staring straight ahead. Cautiously, Hanzo finished the climb up, yet remained standing in the entrance. A quick glance around and he realized there was no other way to get up there, at least not an easier one. Hanzo furrowed his brow in confusion as he stared at the cowboy.

"How did you get up here?" The words tumbled out of the archer's mouth before he could catch them. A dark chuckle rattled McCree, and the gleam in his eye as he looked over made Hanzo uneasy. He could have sworn there was a glimpse of red where there should have been white in his eyes.

"Blackwatch offered me a deal for a reason, darlin'." The nickname Hanzo could have gone without, but the answer was more than enough to satisfy. There was clearly more to this gunslinger than Hanzo was prepared to deal with. 

"Relax, sugar, I ain't a threat." McCree turned his rather unnerving look away.

"Don't call me that." McCree glanced over again, yet looked more bored than threatening this time. He remained quiet, yet again ignoring his new company. Hanzo watched carefully as the cowboy lifted a bottle of whiskey to his lips. Hanzo hadn't even noticed the bottle, yet somehow the image of McCree quietly drinking himself into nothingness comforted the archer. 

"Wanna sip?" Hanzo blinked as he realized McCree's question.

"No." Was his curt answer. 

"Suit yerself." Another gulp and now the bottle was half gone. Silence fell on the two as Hanzo leaned into the corner. He continued watching McCree, but if this annoyed the cowboy, he kept it to himself. By now, Hanzo had relaxed, but the fact he felt relaxed made him more anxious. 

"Ya know what's funny? I keep drownin' mahself in whiskey even though I know I'm gonna feel like I got hit by a damn train in the morning." The sudden break in silence startled Hanzo into further silence, and McCree's statement awkwardly hung in the air for longer than it should have.

"We all handle our demons in different ways." Hanzo carefully chose his words, unsure as to how the cowboy would react. McCree scoffed, a faint smile tugging his lips. He remained quiet for a few beats. Hanzo couldn't help but stare. He couldn't read McCree, and he was starting to become frustrated. Normally he was very good at reading others, but the gunslinger remained a mystery. He was very good at keeping things to himself. 

"I wouldn't really call 'em demons."

"What would you call them?" McCree turned to face Hanzo once again, yet this time his expression gave away something small. It was a hint of chronic emotional misery. Hanzo wanted to look away; the feeling all too familiar as one he's seen in his mirror, yet the cowboy's eyes were almost mesmerizing in the moonlight. _Focus._

"I'd call 'em victims. Most o' the time I'm seein' the life leave the eyes of every man I've put a bullet through, but sometimes I see the ones I coulda saved." Hanzo frowned, not quite sure what McCree meant by the second part.

"Elaborate." 

"Most of the people I've killed were just in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong people. Granted, they deserved it, but if they just hadn't been stupid they coulda avoided it. But sometimes, on the really bad nights, I'll see the innocent people that got caught in the crossfire. The little kids with tears on their faces, the innocent civilian who just was too stupid to run while he could. For the most part, when I do see 'em, it's this one little girl. The very first innocent kid I coulda saved but just didn't get there in time." McCree paused to take another swig of whiskey, almost as if he was trying to burn the next words before they came out. 

"It was my first Blackwatch mission. Talon had infiltrated this airport and there was a huge crash set as a diversion. Overwatch, and Blackwatch, came in to try to save everyone. Reyes and I were helpin' people close to the crash site, and there was this one girl off to the side. She was cryin' and kept sayin' she was stuck. I checked her over really quick and didn't see any serious injury so I told her to hang tight while we helped the other people. She stopped cryin' long enough to agree, and she waited pretty patiently for us. I was helpin' the last person out of the rubble when this horrible sound nearly blew my eardrums. I looked over at her just in time to see the wing crash down. I didn't know. Didn't notice the wing was above her. She looked right at me, beggin' me to save her without any words." McCree's voice lowered significantly until he finally fell silent. New information about the mysterious figure flooded Hanzo's vision, and he almost felt guilty. There was a heaviness on his shoulders, as if this one little cowboy thought he could carry the world on his shoulders. 

"I'm sorry." Hanzo whispered, not sure of what else to say.

"Heh. Hell, I was so traumatized by that at the time that I didn't speak for three days afterwards. The stress of watching me be quiet for once 'bout killed Reyes." _Who the hell is Reyes?_ Hanzo sighed as he finally dropped his gaze.

"Genji was a lot like you. Never knew when to stop talking, and so when he did, I would get concerned." It was McCree's turn to watch the other with intense curiosity. Silence fell between them as McCree just watched.

"I'm sure mah ghosts ain't nothin' compared to yours." Hanzo paused before meeting McCree's eyes. He frowned, shocked to find there was no malice in McCree's stare. There was, however, pity, which irritated Hanzo. He didn't need the cowboy's pity. 

"And why do you say that?" He spat, hoping there was enough venom in his voice to dissuade the cowboy from pursuing the topic. 

"Well, for starters, bein' groomed from an early age to be ruler of an entire yakuza empire has got its sins. Second, I'd see some fucked up shit in mah sleep if what happened between you and your brother happened to me." _Of course, this was about Genji._ Hanzo opened his mouth to retaliate, but the gunslinger cut him off.

"No, I ain't sayin' that to start shit. Obviously, I don't know shit about what happened, but I do know that it was fucked up. Even if he did forgive ya, and even if you end up forgivin' yerself, it was still fucked and will leave anyone traumatized for all eternity." For some reason, McCree's words didn't upset Hanzo nearly as much as he expected them too. _You're getting soft, Shimada._ The same evil voice hissed in his head, but Hanzo shook it off. _Maybe getting soft is a good thing._ This new voice startled Hanzo, as it was soft and quiet yet still overpowered everything else. It was a voice he had not heard in a very long time. Hanzo blinked a couple of times before realizing the cowboy was still staring at him. McCree seemed confused, his brow furrowed together as he anticipated the archer's next words.

"It's strange... I don't remember moving... when it happened." McCree quirked a brow at him, yet quickly forced it back down. He didn't want to alarm Hanzo; he had no clue how the temperamental Shimada would react.

"I'm sorry." Hanzo's dark eyes bore into McCree, almost daring him to add something more. But the harshness quickly dissipated as he furrowed his brows together. His gaze dropped to the bottle still in McCree's hand.

"Me too." McCree just nodded silently, once again looking away from the archer. Rather unexpectedly, he shoved himself off the wall and towards the exit of the little alcove. He stopped at Hanzo, a soft smile lining his tired features.

"Genji needs ya, man. Don't give up on yerself too soon, ya hear?" Hanzo frowned at him, not quite sure what to make of his warning.

"Ya ever wanna talk, I'll be up here, same time." And with that, he jumped down with more grace than Hanzo expected. With a swift turn, he was gone. Hanzo let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. Tears threatened his eyes as he sank against the wall and onto the floor. 

He didn't want to admit it.

Hanzo needed Genji just as much as the cyborg needed him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for such a short chapter. I'm currently sick and just wanted to do something productive that didn't require too much brainpower. 
> 
> Also random deliriously ill thought I had: Jesse "Drowning-in-whiskey-is-a-coping-mechanism" McCree vs. Hanzo "I'm-not-sure-that's-true-but-I'm-too-tired-to-argue" Shimada


	7. Time Is Relative

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hanzo slowly starts to learn how to reform his relationship with Genji. Genji is just happy that Hanzo is at least making an effort.
> 
> Hanzo tries to be a good person and tell Genji about McCree's drinking problem.
> 
> McCree gets mad af at Hanzo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so quick and HUGE thank you to Ender_guy for all the love they're giving my works! You rock, dude! Like I literally got back into writing recently (writer's block sucks) and just every one of your comments makes me feel so happy and good about my writing!

A soft light covered the practice range by the time Hanzo left the alcove. He should have slept, but honestly, he needed the peace. For once, he didn't feel in constant danger, and the silence gave him time to think. 

First priority of his time here; talk to Genji. Should be simple enough, right? Just talk to him. Hanzo could do that, right?

Turns out, talking to the brother he thought he murdered was hard. Even harder was the knowledge of how close they used to be. 

Hanzo pushed down those thoughts before they could bubble to the surface. He needed to focus on not losing all self-control when talking to his brother. He needed it to be calm and normal. God, normal was not a word in Hanzo's vocabulary at this point. Granted, neither was calm for he was certainly the opposite, but he could at least appear calm. Normal was not an achievement he had made. 

The others were still asleep for the most part, save for Angela. She was already up, or maybe like Hanzo, she hadn't slept. She nodded politely at him as he entered the kitchen. Hanzo like Angela the most so far because she often left Hanzo alone. The others wanted to bother him, even if they didn't actually say anything to him. Everyone just wanted to talk to him and make him feel welcome, but somehow it was having the opposite effect. Almost like they were trying too hard. 

"How did you sleep?" Angela asked, and Hanzo refrained from smiling. Of course the doctor on site would ask him how he slept. For all he know, she had a supernatural ability to tell how much sleep someone got, and she was just asking a question she already knew the answer to.

"I didn't sleep." Hanzo replied, mentally cursing himself for how harsh he sounded. Angela remained quiet as she sat down at the table.

"We have sleeping aids if you need them. Just ask." Hanzo sighed in relief as the doctor decided not to press why he didn't sleep and skipped straight to a possible solution. The conversation dropped as Hanzo put on a pot to make some tea. _Maybe Genji would like some tea. Yeah, let's make enough for him, too._ Hanzo paused as he watched the water. He liked this new voice, the quiet yet startlingly overwhelming one. 

_You haven't seen his whole face yet._ Hanzo jumped as his fingers slipped on the glass in his hands. It bounced off the counter and onto the floor, miraculously unharmed. Shakily, Hanzo picked it up, and Angela remained quiet at the table. The realization hit him harder than Hanzo expected it to, and his rather calm morning suddenly escalated. He had no clue what his brother really looked like under the mask, as it was dark and Genji only revealed part of it. 

"What of Genji is still human?" Hanzo resisted the urge to shove his hand onto the hot stove as the question slipped from his control. The soft clink of Angela setting down her coffee mug answered him first.

"His head, mostly. His jaw needed some extra help. Most of his neck and internal organs are still natural. The main reason most of him is cybernetic is just the tissue damage was too great by the time he received medical attention. Most of his outward appearance is protective because I didn't want to risk him losing anything else. His wounds were severe, and he should have bled out." Angela paused to sip her coffee, and Hanzo finally gathered the strength to face her. She looked tired, yet her eyes shone with sympathy as she looked back at him.

"The spirit dragons, once bonded with a Shimada, will sacrifice everything to keep them alive." Hanzo's words felt sharp in his mouth, the sensation not unlike that of chewing sharp ice. 

"His face has healed quite nicely, yet the scars make the skin look tight. I think this contributed to his insecurity. His smile always looks a little strained, but I find it adorable when you can finally get him to grin." Angela softly smiled as she wrapped her hands around the warm mug in front of her. Hanzo's shoulders loosened as he dropped his gaze to the floor. Of course, Genji was always about his looks. A half chuckle rattled his chest, yet he ignored it.

"I'm sure that's why you asked, isn't it?" Hanzo nodded, unable to speak properly. Instead, he turned his attention to making tea. The two fell into silence once again, yet Hanzo didn't mind it. He was glad the doctor was so open about Genji's injuries with him, for he preferred the harsh truth. Hanzo never liked it when things were sugarcoated. By the time Hanzo had a nice cup of tea in his hands, he felt more relaxed than when the morning started. The aroma alone reminded him of home, yet not in the painful way he had grown accustomed to. He had joined Angela at the table, sitting across from her and just soaking in the early morning bliss as the two sipped their drinks.

"You two are up early." A sleepy hum accompanied Genji's voice, and the sound almost made Hanzo smile. About twenty years ago, Genji would have killed anyone that woke him up before 8, yet here he was, up and alive before 7:30. Somehow, this managed to upset Hanzo, so he remained quiet to allow Angela a chance to speak.

"Well, I am up early. Hanzo, unfortunately, did not sleep." Hanzo refused to face his brother, afraid the cyborg walked in without his mask. Now that he was in the room, Hanzo was afraid to face him.

"It's all right, Hanzo. We'll figure it out soon enough so you can get some rest." Hanzo nodded, struggling to find the right words.

"I-I made tea." He whispered, and almost regretted it. Genji's soft chuckle was closer than his previously spoken words.

"I can tell. Are you willing to share?" Hanzo nodded once again, still staring at the cup in his hands.

"There is enough for you." Angela's piercing eyes were soft as she smiled at him. A soft pat on his shoulder was Genji's thanks.

"Do you remember how I could never finish an entire cup? There would always be a little bit left in the cup by the time I claimed I was done." Hanzo allowed a soft smile as he pulled up a memory of Genji's habit.

"And Father would always scold you while smiling and finishing it for you. Sometimes, if he was feeling generous, he would offer it to me." A strange calmness swept over the archer as he stared into the steam rising from his cup. Genji took his seat next to him, yet Hanzo had not looked at him.

"Well, I still cannot finish a cup of tea on my own. Normally, I try to get someone to finish it for me. I don't want perfectly good tea to go to waste." Hanzo nodded, and allowed himself to look over at Genji's hands. The metal was scuffed from use, yet somehow they were not alien to him. They were his brother's hands. Genji suddenly snorted, startling Hanzo out of his thoughts.

"I once got McCree to try it. He will never admit it, but he liked it. I'm assuming you will finish my cup if I don't." Hanzo nodded, once again softly smiling. The image of McCree trying Japanese black tea was honestly comical.

"Of course I will. I would never let good tea go to waste." Genji nudged Hanzo with his elbow, and his soft laugh settled on Hanzo's shoulders, making them drop. 

"Don't worry, Hanzo. You can look at me when you feel most comfortable. I understand it is a difficult thing and requires time and patience. I even brought my mask in here with me, for when Hana, Lucio, and Zarya get up. I only recently met them, and am still not entirely comfortable with them seeing my face." The words almost stung Hanzo, and he wasn't quite sure why.

"Yet you are comfortable showing me." Genji's snort was enough to let Hanzo know he was being ridiculous.

"You're my brother. Besides, I figured it would help you interact with me better if you knew that at any given moment, you could just look at me and not see a complete stranger." Hanzo nodded and some relief washed over him. Of course, it all made sense. It did make him feel better, knowing that Genji's smile was right there next to him. All he had to do was lift his head. Hanzo fell into silence while Angela and Genji began to talk.

"Shouldn't you be meditating with Zen?" Angela almost accused Genji, yet there was no malice in her voice. Genji chuckled before shrugging his shoulders.

"I politely declined this morning. I want to be as available as possible for Hanzo. I know this transition is hard on him." Hanzo nodded and leaned into Genji as the cyborg did the same. There. That was normal. That was them for the best years of their life. Happy, at peace, and at each other's side. Hanzo was tempted to close his eyes, yet refused. He didn't feel that comfortable. Yet.

"I am sure I'm not the only one who has changed over the years." Hanzo's usually edge in his tone of voice was lacking this morning, yet he didn't mind. He was just glad he was starting to adjust. 

"Other than Fareeha and Brigitte growing up, everyone is pretty much the same. Reinhardt and Torb are obviously older, but still the same." Genji responded, and Hanzo rudely interrupted.

"Torb?" The name was not familiar. 

"Torbjorn has pledged loyalty to aiding our missions, but his business is booming, and he refuses to abandon it. He's the best engineer I've ever known. He even helped with some of Genji's limbs." Angela answered his question patiently while Genji sipped his tea. Hanzo nodded before nudging Genji softly, hoping his brother could understand the apology for interrupting.

"Do not feel guilty for interrupting. We will happily answer all of your questions." Genji nudged back, and Hanzo fought a smile. _You should make eye contact._ Hanzo ignored the thought, yet didn't completely push it back. 

"I will admit, McCree is the only one who has really changed. There's just something different about him." Hanzo frowned, not sure if he could help Genji in this situation.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not sure. I know the last eight-ish years have been hard for him, but... they were apparently a lot darker than I thought. He just seems like he needs a five year long nap."

"Well, I had a very strange interaction with him last night." Angela quirked a brow at Hanzo as he suddenly broke the awkward silence that had fallen after Genji's statement.

"Really? How do you mean?" Genji nudged Hanzo, urging him to elaborate.

"Well, it happened at 3 in the morning." Genji and Angela shrugged at each other.

"McCree is an insomniac, so that's not new." Hanzo took a deep breath as he realized what was happening. Angela and Genji were waiting for him to say something about McCree's behavior from last night that was unusual. Okay, step-by-step.

"Where were you when it happened?" Angela asked and Hanzo frowned as he thought of a way to describe their secret alcove.

"On the practice range, in the more obstacle part. There was a fake building with a hole in the side. I climbed up there, hoping to find a place to hide, only to find it was already occupied." Angela's confusion was more than enough to clue Hanzo into the strangeness of that. Clearly, McCree did not hide often.

"Usually when he cannot sleep, he finds somewhere in the common rooms to be." Genji commented quietly. Angela nodded in response and nodded at Hanzo to continue.

"He didn't really say much for a few minutes, just continued drinking."

"Drinking? Drinking what?" Genji's sudden defensive tone alarmed Hanzo.

"Whiskey, I believe." Angela's face was a reflection of Genji's reaction, as she was frowning in both disbelief and concern.

"Okay, odd. Continue." 

"Then we spoke about not being able to sleep. More specifically about the um- the demons we uh- see in our sleep. Based on his exact words, I don't think this drinking thing was a one-time event. I think he's a regular drunk. I can see it in his face, too. It is a look I see in the mirror." Hanzo eventually dropped his words and allowed Genji to do with them what he will.

"Well. That's certainly new." Angela responded first after an awkward period of silence.

"What is?"

"McCree being an alcoholic." _Ah._ Genji was still silent on the subject.

"I'll talk to him later, make sure he's doing okay." Genji finally muttered, and Hanzo almost felt guilty. He hoped his words wouldn't damage their friendship, as Genji seemed to be rather sensitive lately. Hanzo didn't blame him; he had enough to deal with without his best friend being a hopeless drunk. 

"He mentioned someone a couple of times. A name I hadn't heard yet. I'm almost afraid of saying something, but I am curious. Who is Reyes?" A stifling silence fell on the room as soon as the name fell off Hanzo's tongue. Genji stiffened beside him, once again McCree's actions were concerning to him.

"McCree mentioned Reyes?" Angela asked, her eyes wide with fear. Hanzo nodded, growing nervous. _Just look at Genji. You need to know how he reacted._ Hanzo took a deep breath before slowly turning to look at Genji. His eyes were glazed over, unfocused, as his brows furrowed together. He was trying to chew on his bottom lip, but the repairs to his face made it seem harder than normal. Black hair hung in a sleepy mess over his forehead, lightly touching the top of his brow. _See? He's still your brother._ Genji's eyes focused again as he blinked a couple of times. The confusion left his face, yet a seriousness had taken its place. Shock quickly replaced it as the cyborg made eye contact with Hanzo. The corners of his mouth twitched into a soft smile, yet his eyes became stern once again.

"I would not bring up Reyes with him. Even if he mentions him again, I wouldn't. It is a very sensitive subject." Hanzo nodded, matching the sternness to Genji's stare. He couldn't help himself but stare at Genji. He was so afraid to look at the damage, yet the scars did not hide who this was. It was still the beautiful little brother that was always getting into trouble. It was still his brother, just without the pain attached. And Hanzo thought he was good-looking. 

"But who is he?" 

"He's the one that saved McCree." Genji's answer was short, yet more than enough. Hanzo, afraid of pressing the matter for fear of McCree's reaction, changed the subject rather quickly.

"Are you finished?" Hanzo glanced at the mostly empty cup in Genji's hands. By now, it would have gone cold but Hanzo honestly enjoyed it all the same. Genji smiled, the scars tugging at his skin, yet not ruining his beauty. _He's still innocent._ Without a further word, Genji poured the rest of his cup into Hanzo's. He got up to rinse the cup, leaving Hanzo to ponder all the new information the morning presented. 

_You have a chance._ The soft spoken voice in his head whispered once again, and now the words impacted him physically. A soft gasp left Hanzo's lips as he realized what the voice meant. Genji just shared tea with Hanzo, spoke with Hanzo like it was normal. He was getting his brother back. He had a chance.

"Hanzo?" Angela's voice interrupted his thoughts. He glanced at her, suddenly embarrassed he reacted so strongly to such a simple voice.

"I'm okay, just realized something." He muttered, and suddenly Genji's hand was on his shoulder. They shared a smile before Hanzo broke and finished the rest of the tea. 

"Anyone up for breakfast?" A small sigh escaped Hanzo's lips as Genji changed the topic. He was partly relieved about it, but he also recognized it was Genji's subtle way of saying that Hanzo needed to eat.

"I think we have a few eggs still." Angela commented as she got up from the table. Hanzo turned around in an effort to appear sociable. He couldn't tell if it worked or not.

"Don't worry, the others are late sleepers. I usually have enough time to eat without being rushed." Genji broke through Hanzo's thoughts with a soft whisper. Hanzo nodded in response as he allowed Genji to take the empty cup from his hands. Genji and Angela set to fixing up some eggs, softly chatting with each other. The soft footfalls of someone approaching the kitchen distracted Hanzo from the domestic peace in the room. McCree walked in, wearing gray sweatpants and a white tank top, sleep still clinging to his eyes. Soft locks of dark honey hair flew around his head in a messy halo of sorts.

"You are up early." Angela's voice was laced with shock no matter how hard she tried to hide it. The cowboy shrugged in response, clearly still not awake. He yawned, stretching his arms high over his head. Hanzo cursed himself for staring at the small sliver of skin that appeared, but Reinhardt proved right once again; McCree was indeed _very_ handsome. Up to this point, Hanzo had only seen McCree dressed in layers, and his current lack of those revealed just what made him so handsome. Scars and bruises lined his exposed arm and any other exposed skin, bright against his tanned skin.

"Force o' habit when yer on the run." His accent was thicker with sleep, and Hanzo almost wanted to laugh. Genji chuckled, and surprisingly, turned to face him without hesitation.

"You've been on the run this whole time?" 

"Kinda hafta when yer worth so damn much." McCree casually replied, and his gaze dropped to Hanzo as he stood from the table. He was aiming to distract himself from the stunningly handsome cowboy with a glass of water. Hanzo focused on the running water as Genji prompted the cowboy.

"Surely you aren't worth that much." McCree's dark chuckle was enough to unsettle Hanzo, but his response truly scared him into awe.

"Hell, I am worth sixty mil, Genji." Hanzo choked on his water, not expecting the cowboy to be so casual about such a thing.

"All right, no need to brag." Genji laughed it off, glancing over at Hanzo to make sure he was okay.

"McCree, would you mind frying the bacon? Not to feed the stereotype, but you are the best." Angela laughed with her words as she tossed the bacon onto the counter. McCree nodded, seemingly more alert now.

"Are we the only ones up?" McCree asked as he set to his task.

"Yeah, the others sleep late. Master is meditating." Genji responded, taking his seat next to Hanzo in order to get out of the way. He smiled at the archer only to receive a sharp frown in response. 

"It's only McCree. Besides, it's been so long, I'd hate to kick him out just so I could eat." Genji whispered, leaning against Hanzo. Hanzo nodded, almost recoiling at the touch. Genji let out a small sigh, yet didn't say anything.

"Did you sleep well, McCree?" Angela asked, prompting him to speak naturally about his late night drinking.

"As well as I could. 'Sides, it's been a while since I've been on a real bed. Damn thing was almost too soft." _So far so good. Don't press your luck._ Hanzo tried to mentally urge the doctor to drop the conversation. As usual, it didn't work.

"We have sleep aids that work better than whiskey." _Shit._ McCree's shoulders suddenly tensed, accenting the muscles of his back. A quick and sharp glare at Hanzo was all he needed to say.

"Hanzo was only concerned. We were commenting how you have changed, and we urged him to talk about last night. You should blame us, not Hanzo." Genji was quick to Hanzo's defense, yet his words did not change McCree's opinion. The ugly glare he was giving Hanzo was enough.

"If I had known breakfast was goin' to be an intervention, I wouldn'ta bothered." The growl that accompanied his voice was grating on Hanzo's ears, and his guilt only made it worse. 

"We're just worried about you. You disappear for eight years, come back without a warning, and now you're an alcoholic. We just want you to be okay." McCree remained silent, and the conversation quickly dropped while he and Angela finished making breakfast. Once his task was done, McCree filled his plate and turned to leave.

"Well, now we know why Hanzo can't make friends." Hanzo inhaled sharply and watched McCree make a quick exit. 

"Don't mind him, he's just being an ass. He does that from time to time." Hanzo didn't respond, just quietly accepted his plate from Angela and began to pick at his food. Genji's heavy sigh let Hanzo know he was conflicted. He wanted to talk to Hanzo about what happened, but clearly didn't know what to say. He also recognized McCree's behavior as rude, but it was certainly not uncalled for. The cowboy had every right to get defensive, but he could've been nicer. Especially considering Hanzo's fragile situation. Several silent minutes passed as Angela and Genji ate, and Hanzo picked at his food.

"You need to eat, anija." Genji's soft whisper gently pulled on Hanzo's calloused heart, yet the archer remained as he was. Genji sighed, realizing words weren't going to work. Instead, he reached over, taking half of Hanzo's portions. Hanzo blinked back into reality as he watched. 

"If you can eat this, I'll be happy. If you would like more, than can be done. Just eat something." The weariness in Genji's voice filled Hanzo's ears with an uncomfortable stuffiness. This was the same thing he did when Hanzo's anxiety first got bad when they were teens. _He's still your brother, he still loves you._ Knowing Genji was not going to let Hanzo leave without eating, Hanzo finally brought his fork to his mouth. The eggs were good, perfectly seasoned, but it was the bacon that gave Hanzo mixed feelings. It was the best bacon he's ever had, yet the good feeling didn't last long. The mental image of McCree's glare flashed into focus. The fact McCree decided not to ruin their bacon out of spite almost surprised Hanzo.

"Hello, hello!" Lucio's cheery voice filled the room, distracting Hanzo. Genji was still seated next to him, the second half of Hanzo's breakfast still on his plate. His mask was back on. 

"Morning, Lucio. How did you sleep?" Genji asked, quickly matching Lucio's high energy. The two quickly dove into conversation, one of which Hanzo wanted nothing to do with. His fairly decent morning had been thoroughly ruined. Hanzo hurriedly took his empty plate to the sink before taking off for his room. A shower should make him feel better. As he approached, a familiar figure stuck out as the others were just leaving their rooms.

In an attempt to avoid a confrontation with the cowboy, Hanzo quickened his pace. McCree, however, was faster than Hanzo anticipated, and met Hanzo at his door.

"I appreciate the sentiment and all, but ya had no right to say that to them." Hana, Lena, and Fareeha quickly quieted as they realized what was happening. Hanzo stumbled over his words as he realized how threatening McCree was.

"They were concerned for you. Genji is your friend; he noticed you were acting different. I talked about what happened and only provided the basics." McCree's eyes flashed dangerously as he pondered the statement.

"And why the hell was any of this brought up?" Hanzo swallowed, afraid McCree would be able to tell if he lied.

"I asked them who Reyes is." The words came out louder than Hanzo planned, but the sudden loudness of his voice was nothing compared to McCree's reaction.

"You what?" He growled, leaning closer. The red glow from last night filled his eyes again. Hanzo gasped lightly as a sudden realization hit him. Jesse McCree was a very dangerous man.

"How dare you think ya had any right! Ya ever talk to me again, it'd best be to apologize." With a final growl of frustration, the cowboy stormed off. Hanzo looked across the hall at the three women, all wide-eyed with shock.

"You good?" Hana hesitantly asked. Hanzo nodded quickly before ducking into his room.

What the fuck?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this was kinda long, but I broke my writer's block and just power wrote this thing in two different sittings so, you're welcome, I guess. Oh, and yeah, I'm a FeelzMaster for a reason >:)

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry if that was bad, and short. But a nice little intro. I promise next chapter will be longer and maybe better. Toodles!


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